Sorry about that! Cloudflare’s human test is absolutely essential for blocking literally hundreds of spambot-created accounts in our WordPress site every day. It annoys me constantly too, since I have to go through multiple times per day (usually just a delay; occasionally a checkbox click) to work with WordPress on the backend. But it’s the only thing that stopped the spambots.
I haven’t heard of others having trouble getting through it, so I hope it’s not more widespread.
Some of the users of Open Core Legacy Patcher is reportting this. Search results for query: Cloudflare | MacRumors Forums
The use of Firefox seems to be the work-around. I have not had this problem on my 2015 MacBook Pro running Sequoia with help of Open Core Legacy Patcher.
Cloudflare can have issues if the network connection is unstable. I think it may be that a client that is losing network packets resembles a particular type of attack. I don’t know why, but Cloudflare in Safari seems particularly sensitive.
Just a couple of days ago, I was using a wireless network that was dropping ~5% of its packets, and I could not pass the Cloudflare test while trying to access a particular shipping site I use.
The Cloudflare challenge loaded but failed repeatedly using Firefox, and it wouldn’t load at all under Safari. I switched from the wireless network to my mobile hotspot, and Safari and Firefox both connected and passed the Cloudflare challenge immediately.
Adam,
Thank you for responding so promptly.
I fully understand the need for the security check and I use other sites which have the same Cloudflare check. I just tried to login again and after two attempts it worked.
I have not had good experiences with Cloudflare. A couple of years ago a Cloudflare app (possibly 1.1.1.1, I forget) on my iMac crashed during an update and made my entire system inaccessible. I had to rebuild from Time Machine.
Anyway, let’s assume there is no issue here.
Regards,
Bernard Abramson
PS. Haven’t seen you on the TWiT network for some time and hope you return soon.
I’ll keep an eye out for additional complaints. Cloudflare certainly isn’t perfect, but it provides very useful services for a site of our size for not very much money.
Thanks! I haven’t heard from anyone there in ages—feel free to suggest that they should invite me back. 
Haven’t had issues with Cloudflare since brief issues when you first installed it. Using latest Safari / Sequoia*
*Since I finally gave up on macOS Calendar/Contact syncing, I have become a “Kamikaze Updater” and test rat for the rest of the household.
;~)
I see the Cloudflare challenge on both iPadOS and macOS. On macOS (Firefox and DuckDuckGo) the checkbox simply appears and is easily dealt with. On iPadOS (Firefox Focus) a “Firefox Focus wants to launch an app” dialog box pops up when the checkbox screen loads. I haven’t ever approved launching the unnamed additional app…in any case, after tapping the cancel button, I’m able to tap on the checkbox and progress to TBT without any problems.
I use Orion browser in MacOS 15.2 mostly these days and it worked fine with TidBITS for many months but recently I logged out and when returning to the site and clicking the Log In button, it went directly to the Cloudflare checkbox window. I ticked the box and there was a swirly icon and then the empty checkbox returned. Over and over and over.
I get why this is necessary and don’t blame TidBITS for using it. I emailed your support folks and it was suggested to try another browser.
In Firefox, clicking the Log In button brought up the username-pw window, then the Cloudflare checkbox and I was in and am using Firefox as we speak, mostly just for Talk.
Since it works in one browser and not another it may be unrelated to my VPN, which is PIA in an EU location.
Haven’t tried it on iOS. Last time I checked I am completely human so I should be able to pass the test!
Wow, you can get checked for that? Wish I had known…prolly too late now.
;~}
Yea, I looked at that. Definitely too late.
Hmm! Orion works fine here with macOS 15.4.1. It’s possible something has changed at Cloudflare.
I really don’t know about Firefox Focus on iPadOS—wanting to launch a helper app seems entirely excessive.
There is a known incompatibility between Cloudflare and StopTheMadness, which can be stopped by turning off the Shadow DOM option in StopTheMadness. (It’s on by default.) Since I made that change, I have had no problems with Cloudflare challenges anywhere.
Environment: Firefox 115 under Mojave.
For the record, Cloudflare doesn’t let me log in to this site (and several other sites) when using Arc, and so I’m using Vivaldi to write this. Admittedly I’m still on Monterey and aren’t able to use the latest version of Arc whereas I have just installed the latest version of Vivaldi.
I’m running into these now as well on Safari for both iOS and macOS, but not Chrome on macOS (Sonoma). All browsers in fresh state with new private windows and no extensions. Perversely, this happened just after I upgraded my TidBITS membership level and had to re-verify my email address. If I try hard enough, with enough clearing and reloading of the login form, or coming in via the SSO flow, then sometimes I seemingly get lucky and am let in.
When the challenge appears it’s the checkbox, when activated it spins for a bit and then the page reloads with checkbox once again cleared. This happens continuously regardless of how long I wait. Only reopening a tab seems to improve my odds.
I tried disabling iCloud’s advanced option for “Automatic Verification”, but apart from a noticeable slowdown of the process, it didn’t seem to change anything. Only persistence works.
I get that you have to fight bots—I’ve moderated a forum as well, and they’re a persistent arse—but I think this is a pretty terrible failure mode that’s sure to drive some people off. I’ve never known Cloudflare to be this bad, and I myself use them (but not for their CAPTCHA). I hope something can be done about it.
Unfortunately, I’m not even sure how to troubleshoot this, since I suspect it’s also related to what ISP you’re using. If you’re using a laptop, I’d be curious if you see different behavior on a different network.
One thought: using private windows may be part of the problem since some research suggests that Cloudflare works in part on browser fingerprinting, and the less you look like a normal human, the more likely you are to be blocked.
I forgot to mention that I only switched to a private window as a troubleshooting step; it’s not normally what I’d do to reach TT (since I’d be logged out every time, which is annoying).
But I’ll be doing some foreign travel soon to take care of familial obligations, and I’ll want to spend some of my time on forums like this one, so we’ll soon see if this is my ISP. Thanks for doing your best, anyway.